Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Arun Bharti on Friday accused Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of using the students’ protests over NEET paper leak to further their political agendas, stating that both were competing to claim credit for the issue.
Expressing sympathy with the protesting students, Bharti said their grievances deserved attention but alleged that the opposition was politicising the issue. He challenged the Samajwadi Party to raise the issue in Parliament, offer constructive suggestions and cooperate in strengthening laws to curb paper leaks and safeguard the future of students.
Bharti made the remarks while addressing an intellectuals’ conference organised by the party at the Commissionerate Auditorium in Varanasi. The event was attended by academicians, lawyers, doctors, professors and social thinkers.
“The intellectual community has always played a pivotal role in the journey to transform India into a developed nation. Their contribution to strengthening the country’s social, educational, cultural and democratic values has been unparalleled,” Bharti said.
He said the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) would field its candidate from the Varanasi graduates’ constituency and claimed the intellectual community had expressed support for the party and its president Chirag Paswan.
Targeting the Samajwadi Party, Bharti alleged, “When the party raising the ‘PDA’ slogan was in power, it allocated half the tickets and government jobs to its own community.” He also urged members of the Pasi and Paswan communities to remain wary of the SP.
Calling on intellectuals to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat, he urged them to spread the message of positive thinking, national unity and social harmony while inspiring the youth to participate in nation-building.
Stressing the need for inclusive development, Bharti said his party was committed to dignity, social justice, education, employment and development without discrimination.
Party’s national media in-charge Dhirendra Kumar Munna said they valued suggestions from all sections of society and remained committed to public welfare. The conference concluded with discussions on contemporary issues and a pledge for national interest, social harmony and public service.
